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Internet Grocery Shopping Slowly Gaining Ground

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the three-bags-of-cheetos dept.

bakreule writes "Online grocery shopping, once the laughing stock of the internet, has quietly started gaining ground. It seemed that the idea had been killed shortly after the bust as being just another bomb. The article has some good interviews and details to show how this industry is developing and whether or not this surprising growth can continue. I'm interested in seeing how grocery product advertising will be affected in this highly competitive industry."

4 of 283 comments (clear)

  1. Do it at night. by corporate_ai · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While this trend may catch on in ultra-urban settings like NYC (where even McDonalds delivers), I can't see it making its way to mainstream America.

    For one thing, who wants to pay for delivery? Second, my biggest gripe with grocery shopping was the crowds, which is why I love 24 hour grocery stores... I simply go at midnight.

    --
    "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
  2. Re:Yeah, I'll pick you some NICE tomatoes ;-) by phoenixTMW · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The thing is, these places WANT to keep your business. Selling you the oldest crap they can get away with selling doesn't work so well for customer retention.

  3. I miss WebVan by AKAImBatman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When WebVan was around, they were *extremely* popular. So popular, that everyone would wave at the delivery guy as he drove by. I myself was an extremely happy customer as it saved me from having to carry a lot of groceries home. (I didn't have a car at the time.)

    I think that WebVan's problem had less to do with a poor business model, and everything to do with scaling the business way too fast. They burned through a tremendous amount of cash every time they entered a new market. As a result, they were left with very little operating funds. They always figured that they'd be able to get more funding. Unfortunately, you can always count on VC investors to go to extremes. They over funded during the boom, and they simply wouldn't fund at all during the bust.

    --
    Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
  4. I -am- the parent you're talking about by mccalli · · Score: 4, Insightful
    ...and I use online ordering precisely to avoid the hassle you're describing.OI have a two and a half-year old daughter and a seven month old son, and it is a living hell to take them round.

    First off, they fall asleep on the way there. Marvellous. So now you have to wake them up before you can get out of the car - that really cheers them up, as you can imagine.

    Next up, the trolley has to be perfection. Yesterday's favourite is today's screaming fit, so you must make sure Her Majesty will deign to actually sit in the bloody thing (the son currently gets no say...). You can force the issue, but your ears will suffer.

    You then get the fun of said two year old reaching out to every shelf and grabbing what she wants. If you put it back, she grabs it again or screams. Meanwhile my son is just screaming anyway - no apparent reason, unless it's the same one I feel like screaming about as well.

    Finally, we get people such as yourself. We know we're pissing you off. We just don't get a choice about it. Some people respond graciously, others stare as if you're utter scum.

    Nope, it's online shopping from the parents' point of view too as far as I'm concerned. Chuck 'em a fiver, and let the delivery people handle it all. It's a good deal for both me and you, it would seem.

    Cheers,
    Ian